§ Bill read 3a (according to Order), with the Amendment. Further Amendments made.
§ On Motion that the Bill do pass,
THE BISHOP OF LONDONsaid, that before the Bill passed, he wished to say a few words in explanation of what had been stated by him on a former occasion. Their Lordships would probably recollect that in calling their attention to the evil resulting from the general closing up of burial-grounds in the metropolis he had made one statement, it appeared, not on sufficient authority; but he had made it on what he conceived at the time to be sufficient authority. The statement was to the effect that in a certain pool of water near the Eastern Counties Railway some bodies had been found, as well as some coffins, which it was conjectured had been thrown there to avoid the difficulty and expense of burying them in a parochial cemetery. He had found, however, from more careful inquiry, that it seemed to be doubtful whether any bodies were found, or any entire body was found, in that pool of water, or any more than certain fragments of coffins, and he believed some bones. It appeared likely that such remnants of coffins and hones had not been thrown in by any persons who were reduced to adopt that fatal measure by the difficulty of interring the corpses of their relatives; but that they were the remains of bodies that had been interred in unconsecrated cemeteries, and had been removed from thence to make room for others. The parish officers of Mile End seemed to consider dint the statement he had made reflected upon them, and he gladly availed himself of that opportunity of saying that he meant to cast no imputation whatever on those highly respectable parish officers. The statement itself as to the finding of bodies in that pool of water he found was one made on somewhat doubtful authority; but while he admitted that, he should add that all the other statements he had made were more than borne out by subsequent inquiry. The evils that existed from the general closing of burial-grounds were most appalling; the increased expense of burials had produced pauperism in many instances, and had led to the greatest neglect of common decency. A most respectable clergyman in the north of London had informed him that so many as forty or fifty cabs and other conveyances, bearing 1069 the bodies of dead persons, were waiting until their time came for admission at the gates of unconsecrated cemeteries, and the corpses themselves were interred in a most hurried and indecent manner. Frequently the undertaker, or one of the labourers of the burial-ground, puts on a surplice, and reads such part of the burial service as he thought fit. In the main roads leading to two or three of these cemeteries the most disgraceful scenes of intoxication took place on the part of those who conveyed the bodies to them; and the distress caused to poor persons who accompanied their deceased relations to their last homes was harrowing to the feelings of every humane spectator. It was not an unimportant matter, as affecting the public health, to know that cabs were now often used for carrying the bodies of dead persons—no matter whether they had died of contagious diseases or of any other complaint—to these cemeteries, instead of being decently conveyed in some of those cheap funeral conveyances which, cheap as they were, were beyond the means of these poor persons. He could not but express his deep regret that no measures had been adopted by Her Majesty's Government for putting an end to so indecent a state of things—a state of things revolting to the feelings of every pious and humane man—a state of things which created great moral evil, and which, if allowed to continue much longer, must also produce great social evil. He knew of but one effectual remedy for it, and he trusted that Her Majesty's Government would see the necessity of adopting it early in the next Session of Parliament. He meant the giving to the Secretary of State power to compel parishes whose burial-grounds had been closed by his orders to provide new cemeteries for the interment of their own deceased poor. He would again repeat the observation he had made on a former occasion, namely, that before such orders were issued, steps ought to be taken to provide fresh burial-grounds, so that no interruption might occur in the ordinary mode of conducting funerals with decency and propriety. It was very true, that the state of things in some of the existing churchyards was extremely disgusting, and prejudicial to the public health; but if an interval had been allowed for providing new cemeteries before the closing of the old, he believed that no serious detriment to the public health would have resulted. As one who was interested in the 1070 comfort of the poorest orders of the people, and as a minister of religion, knowing the mockery of religious services which was continually occurring at interments, he could not refrain from expressing his earnest hope that Her Majesty's Government would take this matter into serious consideration, and next Session bring forward a Bill empowering the Secretary of State, under certain circumstances, to require the parishes—the large ones separately, and the smaller in combination—to provide decent burial-places for the bodies of the poor.
§ THE EARL OF ABERDEENcould assure their Lordships that the statement made by the right rev. Prelate was most painful to hear, and one that undoubtedly required the attention of Her Majesty's Government. Indeed, the evils he had described were such as must harrow the feelings of every right-minded person. The practical difficulties of the subject, how-ever, were much greater than the right rev. Prelate imagined. It was not sufficient to authorise the Secretary of State to compel the parishes to provide new cemeteries, as he had proposed. But undoubtedly this question had been under the consideration both of the Secretary of State and of Her Majesty's Government; and every desire was entertained to meet the wishes of the right rev. Prelate. The state of many of the burial-grounds which had been closed was such as to compel. without delay, the steps that had been taken for that purpose. At the same time, he was far from denying that much hardship had been caused both to the clergy and to the poor by what had taken place. These were evils which, difficult as the task was, ought to be met; and he could assure the right rev. Prelate that every endeavour would be made by Her Majesty's Government to remove a state of things that was disgraceful to a civilised community.
§ Bill passed, and sent to the Commons.